Icarus Theatre Collective with Millenium Forum, Derry present The Tragedy of Macbeth Shakespeare for the Game of Thrones generation International Tour – January-April

The vicious, barbaric undercurrent in Shakespeare’s fear-filled tragedy erupts in Icarus Theatre’s kinetic and blood-thirsty production.

Unrivalled on the battlefield, Macbeth is rewarded with rank and favour by a grateful king but the war has left its scars. With each enemy Macbeth butchers, his lust for power takes a more menacing grip. Spectres slaughtered on the battlefield drip poison in his ear, and passions erupt as he ferociously seizes the throne. But, violence breeds violence, and a reign born in blood quickly spirals out of control as Macbeth's demons return to destroy him.

Set in the 11th century and culminating in an epic battle filled with revenge, justice, and beheadings, Icarus Theatre blends the traditional and the physical to bring to life some of literature’s most vibrant language and characters.

This production centres around the idea that Macbeth himself is suffering from PTSD. Director Max Lewendel comments, War is hell, and medieval warfare even more so. There is something in the psychology of PTSD that resonates here in a very Hitchcockian kind of way. This world is a supernatural nightmare for Macbeth and I wanted to explore the idea that the horrors of what he has done and seen lurk in every shadow, in every corner.

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In addition to this new psychological element, many of the traditional male roles are here cast as female characters, stressing the importance of gender parity on stage. This is a patriarchal world, but one that is being challenged by powerful women pushing forward change.

Notes to Editors

Title The Tragedy of Macbeth

Running time 2 hours 30 minutes (including interval)

Notes Ages 11+ (contains violence)

Box Office Tickets are available from individual theatre box offices. See http://www.icarustheatre.co.uk/shows/macbeth2018.html.

Twitter @IcarusTheatre, #IcarusMacbeth

Director Max Lewendel Set Designer Curtis C Trout Costume Designer Isabella Van Braeckel Lighting Designer Stevie Carty Sound and Music Theo Holloway Lighting Designer Stevie Carty Movement Director Caroline Mueller Fight Director Ronin Traynor Voice Coach Joel Trill

Macbeth Lawrence Stubbings Lady Macbeth Miztli Rose Neville Banquo James Heatlie Macduff Rowan Winter Malcolm Charlotte Cracknell Donalbain Kaiden DuBois Duncan Andrew Hislop Actor/ASM Lindset Huebner Actor/ASM Jay Wilson

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Performance Dates

31st January – 1st February INEC – 10:30am and 2:30pm (31st January), 10:30am (1st February) Muckross Rd, Poulnamuck, Killarney, Co. Kerry,

2nd February University Concert Hall – 9:30am and 1:30pm Foundation Building, Castletroy, University of Limerick, Co. Limerick, Ireland

6th – 7th February Theatre Royal – 9:30am and 1:30pm (6th February), 10am (7th February) The Mall, Waterford, Ireland

8th – 9th February Garage Theatre – 11am Knockaconny, Co. Monaghan, Ireland

20th – 24th February Bord Gáis Energy Theatre – 2:30pm (20th, 22nd and 24th February), 7:30pm (20th – 24th February) Grand Canal Quay, Grand Canal Dock, Dublín 2, Ireland

27th February – 11am and 8pm 3 Newmarket Street, Londonderry BT48 6EB

1st March McNeill Theatre – 8pm Larne Leisure Centre, Larne, BT40 1AD

5th March Mumford Theatre – 2pm and 7:30pm Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1PT

7th – 8th March Theatre Royal – 2pm and 7:30pm (7th March), 11am (8th March) 66-68 Shakespeare St, Dumfries DG1 2JH

9th March Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre – 1pm and 7:30pm Raby Road, Hartlepool TS24 8AH

All enquiries, high res images and further information:

Tilly Wilson, Chloé Nelkin Consulting E: [email protected], M: 07707 779 608 W: www.chloenelkinconsulting.com

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